Man believes woman from online dating app set him up to be robbed, he tells Fort Wayne Police

Lisa Esquivel Long

lesquivel@news-sentinel.com

A man told Fort Wayne Police he was robbed after meeting a woman through an online app and believes she set him up to be a victim.

The man called police at around 10:35 p.m. Thursday to report a strong-armed robbery. The victim told police he met the woman online and asked to meet her outside Abbett Elementary School, 4325 Smith St., according to a police report.

The two met on the school’s steps and walked to a liquor store and then to a restaurant, where they sat down for food. Then they walked back to the school.

After sitting in the cold for about 45 minutes he asked if the woman would take him home to get warm. She refused, so he said he was going to leave because he was cold. He told police the woman was constantly texting while they were together.

As the man was walking eastbound on Senate Avenue and came to an alley while crossing Smith Street two men approached him from behind a house. One man punched him and said, “Come off it” before he took the victim’s book bag, which contained a gray tablet with an attached keyboard and his disability paperwork, according to the report.

The second man grabbed the victim’s arm, so the victim gave him money. The two ran northbound toward McKinnie Avenue.

The victim described the woman as black, heavy set and well built, about 5 feet tall and wearing black pants and red shoes, according to the report. She had long red-and-black hair, possibly a weave. She had large “bling” rings that looked fancy but the victim said he knew were fake. One ring was a rose and another covered her entire finger.